Aldi has ended its experiment with checkout-free shopping by converting its only Shop & Go branch in Greenwich, south London, into a standard Aldi Local store with self-service tills.

The store, which opened in January 2022, used artificial intelligence and more than 330 high-definition cameras to track items shoppers picked up and automatically charge them when they left. Customers entered by scanning the Aldi Shop & Go app or tapping a payment card at the gate, allowing them to leave without using a traditional checkout.

Aldi has now confirmed that the trial has concluded and the Greenwich High Road site will remain open as a conventional urban branch. An Aldi spokesperson told The Grocer: “Whilst our Shop & Go trial has now come to an end as planned, our Greenwich High Road store will remain open as an Aldi Local, ensuring customers can still get everything they need at unbeatable Aldi prices.”

The system relied on app registration or a card tap to gain entry, with shoppers typically subject to a £10 pre-authorisation that was later deducted from their final bill. Retail Gazette reported that the deposit caused frustration for some visitors, particularly when refunds took several days to appear after small purchases or when customers left without buying anything.

Early operation of the concept store also required significant staff support to explain the technology to shoppers unfamiliar with the process. The Grocer reported that on its opening day the publication tested the system and found discrepancies in billing, including being charged for six bananas after picking up five.

Public criticism occasionally surfaced during the trial. In 2023, activist Piers Corbyn filmed himself challenging the store’s payment system and leaving cash for strawberries at the help desk before exiting through the barriers. “If you want to call the police, call the police,” Corbyn said in the video. “I have paid by legal tender.”

The withdrawal of Aldi’s checkout-free model reflects a broader reassessment across the grocery sector. Amazon, which pioneered “Just Walk Out” technology in its Amazon Fresh stores, had planned to expand to 260 UK outlets by 2025 but never grew beyond roughly 20 before announcing plans in September last year to close all 19 remaining UK sites.

Other supermarkets have also scaled back similar trials. Sainsbury’s previously used Amazon’s technology at its SmartShop Pick & Go store in Holborn but removed it last year, while Tesco’s four GetGo convenience stores still provide the option of a staffed or self-service checkout alongside automated systems.

Despite ending the Greenwich experiment, Aldi said the concept had provided valuable insight into emerging retail technology and customer behaviour during the three-year trial.

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